A Russian two-star Lt. General Yaroslav Moskalik, serving as deputy operations chief of the general staff, has been killed by a car bomb, officials have confirmed. The incident occurred on Friday morning in the suburban Moscow town of Balashikha.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has said the improvised explosive device planted inside the car was packed with metal fragments for additional lethality.
Reports indicate that U.S. and NATO intelligence have been crucial in providing real-time data on Russian troop movements and command locations, enabling Ukraine to eliminate at least 12 generals by mid-2022. This support includes geolocation and intercepted communications.
Below are examples of high-ranking Russian military personnel reportedly killed in recent years, with Ukraine’s intelligence services, particularly the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) or military intelligence (GUR), suspected or confirmed as responsible.
- Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov (December 17, 2024). He was Chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops. Kirillov was killed by a remotely detonated bomb hidden in an electric scooter outside his apartment building in Moscow, along with his aide, Major Ilya Polikarpov. The attack occurred on Ryazansky Prospekt.
- Major General Yaroslav Moskalik (April 25, 2025). Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff. He was killed in a car bomb attack in Moscow.
- Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov (July 2023). He was the Deputy Commander of the Southern Military District, one of the highest-ranking Russian officers killed in the conflict. Tsokov was killed by a missile strike in Russian-held territory, likely in Berdyansk, Ukraine.
- Major General Vitaly Gerasimov (March 2022), first Deputy Commander of Russia’s 41st Army. Reported killed near Kharkiv, Ukraine, during combat operations.
- Major General Andrei Simonov (May 2022), Electronic Warfare Commander. Killed near Izyum, Kharkiv region, in a Ukrainian strike on a Russian command post.
Ukraine’s SBU and GUR have increasingly targeted Russian military figures both on the battlefield and inside Russia, using methods like improvised explosive devices (IEDs), missile strikes, and sniper operations. Kyiv often justifies these actions as legitimate targeting of war criminals or key adversaries.
Sources; TASS, RT, Kyiv Post, private footage